Christmas Eve Day Preparations
This is the last day to make your list and check it twice. No fun to sit down at the table and find you forgot to take the turkey out of the freezer.
For our home it means to double check the table to see that everything is as it should be, complete with fresh flowers and candles, Christmas crackers in place at each setting and a small stocking filled with chocolates, candy cane and baby mandarin oranges for our guests to enjoy.
Turkey is brought up (having been thawing for a couple of days), ham on the counter, tourtiere done, potatoes done, turnips done. Peas and corn ready to be cooked tomorrow, along with the cornbread side dish and dressing.
Silky butternut squash soup is done and must be brought up, creme fraiche has been made. Buns will come out of the freezer tomorrow.
Good! Now, dust the furniture, clean the bathrooms until they sparkle, put some fresh flowers on one side of the sink and maybe a small Christmas decoration. Vacuum the house and you are set.
From the time I was 3 years old, my father took the family out for dinner as his gift to us. He did this to showcase the work my Mom would be doing on Christmas day and he was saving her cooking dinner. It was a tradition he carried on almost until his passing and Don has now carried the torch. It is a simple gesture for sure for some, but it is engraved in my heart forever. We always had a ‘special’ coffee, he and I and I always seem to miss him more than ever at this time. The same with my Mom. She made a dressing for the turkey and in 60 plus years of marriage, she never once tasted it and my Pop loved it.
Pop always peeled the potatoes, carrots, turnips and set them aside in water. That was his ‘job’ lovingly done each and every year. He was never asked – he just did it.
My check list is now done except for one thing. Never forget the reason we celebrate this time of year, regardless of your choice of religion; the homeless, those left alone or living in horrific conditions, just say thank you and pray for a better world and on behalf of Don and myself Merry Christmas, and Blessings for a year ahead that sees your dreams and hopes come to fruition.
Trout With Double Brie Ravioli and Citrus Sauce
OMG! We just finished the most perfect meal. We purchased some double brie ravioli (who could possibly resist) and Don brought up a couple of trout fillets. Read this and then make it for yourselves.
- 4 oz. trout fillets each person (depends of how many people you are serving)
- pkg. of double brie ravioli (halved)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tbsp. orange concentrate, thawed
- 2 tbsp. whipping cream
- 1 generous tsp. grated lime peel
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
Season the trout with Lemon pepper seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook the trout with olive oil for 2 1/2 minutes each side. Remove from the heat and tent.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add as many ravioli as you will consume and cook according to the instructions.
In a small saucepan, put all the ingredients – Brie, butter, orange concentrate, whipping cream, lime peel and juice and cook over medium heat until well combined.
Put the cooked ravioli into the saucepan with the sauce and stir to cover. Plate the trout fillet and along side that place about 10 mini ravioli with some sauce.
This is mind boggling scrumptious.
Cornmeal Side Dish For Christmas Ham
Not everyone serves turkey or perhaps, like us, you will be offering both at your over-laden table. Why not? Hmmmm
This is for a cornmeal spoon bread and is really a great side dish. It is easy to make and quick as well. Why letting the ham rest, getting the other food together, this can be baking. Just be sure to let this sit for about 5 minutes after removing from the oven to let it ‘settle’.
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups of milk
- 1 cup of fine ground white cornmeal (can use regular cornmeal)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole (soufflé) dish with 2 tbsp. butter and set aside.
Heat milk in a saucepan until just starting to simmer. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal , and continue whisking until it begins to pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Beat in the salt, sugar and 3 tbsp. butter. Beat in the yolks now until well blended. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form in a clean bowl. FOLD into the cornmeal, 1/3 of the whites to ‘loosen’ the mixture. Continue to fold in the remainder carefully.
Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Enjoy. You could drizzle a little maple syrup over the top before serving. Just sayin’.
Breakfast Muesli For The Holidays
With the busy holiday season closing in, make this ahead of time and then proceed to make a scrumptious breakfast for one and all.
- 2 cups large rolled oats (not instant)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or pistachios, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup coconut, sweetened
In a large bowl, toast the oats, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes until golden. Transfer to a large bowl.
Toast the pumpkin seeds for about 5 minutes until they puff up, then add the nuts and toast for a further 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Add these to the oats and stir. Add the coconut and cranberries, mixing well.
To serve: Put a 1/2 cup of yogurt (fruit flavoured or plain, your choice) in the bottom of a pretty glass. Add a scoop of muesli to cover. To this you could add some orange segments if you wish. (or blueberries, raspberries or strawberries (quartered and sweetened)
Cover with another generous serving of yogurt and top with more muesli. Drizzle some honey over the top and serve.
The muesli will make about 4 cups.
Maui Tomato Ginger Bisque
Anyone who knows me, knows I love Maui and every time we go there we head off to Mama’s Fish House. This recipe is from their establishment with their compliments.
- 5 Tbsp. butter
- 1 cup Maui onions, chopped
- 3 tbsp. minced garlic
- 6 tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced
- 10 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
- 4 qts. chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup of roux (1 cup flour mixed with 1/2 cup melted butter)
With a small stock pot, saute the onion in 5 tbsp. butter until translucent, adding the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 2 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, bring this to a boil. Reduce temperature to a low simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the roux and mix really well. Carefully puree the hot soup with a hand emulsifier and then add the cream, simmering for another 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Strain the soup for a creamier texture.
*Note: This really pairs well with a grilled cheese sandwich and a lovely glass of chilled white wine.
Christmas 2014 – Table Setting
Christmas Trays 2015
We are at it again. This time not as many items (17) and not as many trays going out. We did adjust for allergies, so some trays are missing an item or two.
Whipped Shortbread
Pecan Shortbread
Cheese Shortbread
Pralines (New Orleans Style)
Lemon Cookies
Buttermilk Tarts (New Orleans Style)
Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
Butter Tarts (raisins)
Lemon Cream Tarts (real whipped cream)
Christmas Gumdrop Cake
Chocolate Caramel Snow Treat
Citrus Cocado Cookies (Mexican)
Christmas Brittle
Citrus Lace Cookies
Belem Custard Tarts
Lemon Cream Tarts (fresh Whipping Cream)
Chocolate Dipped Mint Cookies
Tomorrow is delivery day. Whew!
Slow Cooker Chicken Mole
Okay, no one has said I was a bright light. Last night Don made this incredible meal. Now….did I think to take a picture? Heck no. This morning I decided I would post this dish and then exclaimed “we didn’t take any pictures”. Never mind, I am posting this now and tomorrow we will have a picture. I promise and that is because we have some leftovers. Yaaaaay.
- 1 can whole tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp. each of chili powder, coriander and salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp. raisins
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs and breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (1 1/2 tbsp. dried)
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
Mole
Drain the tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup of juice. Crush the tomatoes and add to the slow cooker with the reserved juice.
Stir in the chopped onion, garlic, chili powder, coriander, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in the broth, raisins, peanut butter and chocolate. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Chicken
Using a hand immersion blender, blend mole until smooth and set aside.
Take 1 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro, sprinkle over the chicken, and sauté in a casserole with lid, cooking until lightly browned. Pour the mole over the chicken, cover and simmer on stove top for about 35-40 minutes.
Serve over Spanish rice or noodles. We topped ours with homemade Crème Fraiche and grated cheddar cheese.
So help me, this is magnificent. Try it! You will see.
Fruit and Cheese Dressing For Your Turkey
Everyone has a favourite dressing for the fabulous Christmas Turkey that graces the table. This one is just a little different and is fabulous tasting. If you are in doubt, try it on a large chicken…well it is just a suggestion…..okay, I’m kidding!
- 2 leeks, cut in half, rinsed well and sliced
- 1 cup celery, ribs removed and thinly cut
- 1/2 cup butter
- pinch of pepper
- 1/8 tsp. dried cloves
- 8 cups dry bread crumbs
- 2 large firm pears, cored, sliced in wedges
- 1/2 cup crisp bacon, chopped
- 2 small oranges or 1 large, segmented using only the flesh
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, cook the leeks and celery in butter until tender (about 5-6 minutes). Stir in the pepper and cloves.
Put this in a large bowl and stir to mix together. Drizzle in the chicken broth and toss to combine. Stir in the cheese.
Grease a 3 quart casserole dish with butter and transfer the ingredients. Bake, covered for 50-55 minutes until cooked through.
**If you are using a 12-14 lb. turkey, you can simply stuff the turkey and bake it.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas.
Taco Salad
Everyone is soooo busy at this time of year and I thought this would make a great way to sit down, take a few minutes and enjoy the moment before off and rushing again.
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 1 tbsp. FINELY chopped jalapenos, seeds removed
- 1 1/2 tsp. liquid honey
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce (or mixed greens)
- 1 large can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup fresh corn (1 large ear of corn should do the trick)
- 1 large avocado, peeled and sliced in thin wedges
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (if you must)
- Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime over the top.
- Grated Havarti cheese for garnish
Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
Wash and dry the lettuce, adding it to the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. If you can purchase the taco bowls, use them or wrap up into soft tortilla wraps. Sprinkle cheese over the whole salad.
Have a cold beer handy or a shot of tequila. (I told you this would relax you). If you take this step, make sure you are done your shopping for the day and will stay inside.) In other words, no drinking and driving unless it is a great cup of coffee.
- you can also put in a cup or two of ground beef, fully cooked and then fold in with the rest of the ingredients.
Christmas Morning Sausage Rolls
Ever since I can remember, my mom made THE best sausage rolls ever as the pastry she made no one has ever come close to matching. Now, Don has taken up the challenge and he makes THE best. We always got up, and as we opened our gifts, we had sausage rolls. This is a tradition I hope never goes away.
- 2 tsp. dried sage
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
- 1 tsp. dark brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 2 lbs. finely ground pork
- Puff Pastry
- 1 egg, well beaten with a bit of water added
In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, pepper, marjoram, brown sugar, pepper flakes and cloves, mixing really well.
Place the pork in a small bowl and add the mixed spices to it. Mix with your hands and form logs (best way is to roll up in saran wrap).
Roll out the puff pastry, and lay the sausage meat (removing the saran first, of course) and roll in the pastry. Cut into either bite-sized pieces to offer guests with their wine or larger pieces for the breakfast run.
Brush an egg wash over the surface of the pastry and bake in an oven for 38 minutes at 375 degrees.
Christmas morning, simply place in the oven to warm up, and get the ketchup ready.